# Ippolit Kirillovitch — The Brothers Karamazov character guide

> Ippolit Kirillovitch in The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Ippolit, poor Ippolit Kirillovitch

**First appearance:** 0092-part-iv-book-xii-a-judicial-error

## Snapshot

The prosecutor whose long-suppressed ambition finally finds an audience, he turns Dmitri's trial into a sweeping indictment of the modern Russian family.

## Who they are

Ippolit Kirillovitch has spent his career unable to command a room, and the Karamazov case hands him the ear of all Russia. Nervous, consumptive, and hungry for vindication, he builds his speech around Fyodor Pavlovitch as a type of cynical modern father and Dmitri as the son shaped by that cynicism. His rhetoric is both genuinely insightful and dangerously self-serving, making the trial a contest not just over guilt but over whose story of the family will be believed.

## In the story

### [Book IX: The Preliminary Investigation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/chapters/part-iii-book-ix-the-preliminary-investigation)

The public prosecutor present during the investigation.

### [III: The Sufferings of a Soul, the First Ordeal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/chapters/part-iii-iii-the-sufferings-of-a-soul-the-first-ordeal)

Prosecutor who participates in the questioning and informs Dmitri that Grigory is alive.

### [IV: The Second Ordeal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/chapters/part-iii-iv-the-second-ordeal)

The prosecutor, present during the interrogation, exchanging glances with Nikolay Parfenovitch and making dry remarks.

### [V: The Third Ordeal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/chapters/part-iii-v-the-third-ordeal)

The prosecutor who listens intently and interjects with pointed questions, such as about the open door.

### [VI: The Prosecutor Catches Mitya](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/chapters/part-iii-vi-the-prosecutor-catches-mitya)

The prosecutor who methodically presents evidence and questions Mitya, revealing Grigory's testimony about the open door.

### [VII: Mitya's Great Secret. Received with Hisses](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/chapters/part-iii-vii-mitya-s-great-secret-received-with-hisses)

The prosecutor who questions Dmitri's motives and the plausibility of his story, showing a mix of skepticism and compassion.

### [VIII: The Evidence of the Witnesses. The Babe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/chapters/part-iii-viii-the-evidence-of-the-witnesses-the-babe)

The prosecutor, is satisfied with Grushenka's evidence and notes psychological details from witness accounts.

### [I: The Fatal Day](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/chapters/part-iv-i-the-fatal-day)

The prosecutor; known for his passion for psychology and nervous temperament; rumored to be anxious about facing Fetyukovitch.

### [VI: The Prosecutor’s Speech. Sketches of Character](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/chapters/part-iv-vi-the-prosecutor-s-speech-sketches-of-character)

The prosecutor delivers his passionate, sincere speech, viewing it as his chef-d'œuvre and swan-song, genuinely believing in Dmitri's guilt and appealing for societal reform.

### [VII: An Historical Survey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/chapters/part-iv-vii-an-historical-survey)

The prosecutor delivering the indictment, detailing Dmitri's motives and the evidence against him.

### [VIII: A Treatise on Smerdyakov](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/chapters/part-iv-viii-a-treatise-on-smerdyakov)

The prosecutor delivering a lengthy closing argument, systematically refuting the theory of Smerdyakov's guilt and arguing for Dmitri's conviction.

### [IX: The Galloping Troika. The End of the Prosecutor's Speech](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/chapters/part-iv-ix-the-galloping-troika-the-end-of-the-prosecutor-s-speech)

The prosecutor delivering the concluding speech, using historical method and vivid imagery to condemn Dmitri.

### [X: The Speech for the Defense. An Argument That Cuts Both Ways](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/chapters/part-iv-x-the-speech-for-the-defense-an-argument-that-cuts-both-ways)

The prosecutor whose psychological arguments are critiqued.

### [XIV: The Peasants Stand Firm](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/chapters/part-iv-xiv-the-peasants-stand-firm)

Rises to object to the defense, accusing Fetyukovitch of romancing and misusing the Gospel; is seen as 'crushed for good' by the ladies.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/characters/ippolit_kirillovitch
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_brothers_karamazov_se/characters